?? MPs’ Phone Numbers Leak, Police Officers Kill Colleague Inside Court

By Derrick Kubasu

Hello and welcome to the Evening Brief edition of Thursday where several national events (the good, the bad, and the tough budget) took place.

Situational Awareness: Starting at 3:30 pm, Treasury CS Njuguna Ndung'u took the podium at the National Assembly to read the Budget Policy for the next financial year.

• Moments earlier, the CS assured Kenyans via the press that Kenya is on a path to economic recovery and dismissed concerns of companies closing en masse over tax measures.

• "The budget outlines the available resources because everyone is focusing on that aspect. What measures are in place to raise resources? Ultimately, it's about looking at revenue-raising measures alongside policies and programs," he stated.

• "There is nothing like closing up or relocating. This is a political agenda. Everywhere you go, we try to balance out policies so that nobody feels disadvantaged. That is hearsay... In Kenya, we have not raised taxes to the point that firms can close down. I have been living in this country, I have done most of the policy work in my own individual capacity."

• The budget is Ksh3.9 trillion.

MPs on Immense Calls

Thousands of Kenyans on Thursday bombarded lawmakers with thousands of text messages to reject the Finance Bill 2024 begging the question of how they accessed the personal cell phone lines of the 349 MPs.

Moments before Treasury CS Njuguna Ndung'u was called to present the Budget Policy, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula revealed that his office had received concerns from the lawmakers who increasingly questioned the nature of the Bill.

In response, Wetangula hinted that the Finance and National Planning Committee will table the bill next week.?

What Wetangula is Saying: "I wish to allay the fears of a number of members who have approached me and raised concerns relating to the Finance Bill 2024. The house is not considering or voting on anything related to the Finance Bill today. Indeed, the bill is still undergoing public participation and the committee is yet to table its report. Any concerns relating to the bill shall be adequately addressed by the house once the committee tables its report hopefully next week."

Since the onset, the Kenyan public has expressed its dissatisfaction with a slew of new and increased taxes contained in the bill and sent their messages in droves with one message, 'Reject the bill'.

MPs Complaints: Individual MPs such as Mumias East's Peter Salasya received northwards of 5,000 messages.

• “There are almost 5,000 numbers here calling me. And some are Kenya Kwanza supporters calling me after they voted for President William Ruto. Why disturb me when I am an Azimio member?” Salasya stated, explaining that his vote was non-consequential, "From where I sit, even if I say I do not want to vote yes, as long as Kenya Kwanza people vote yes, they have numbers. There is nothing I can do."

• National Assembly Majority Whip Sylvanus Osoro who received vulgar messages said, "It is true someone must have shared our contacts right from the President down to Members of Parliament. We have been receiving messages. For the record, I have received close to 3,000 messages with 50 per cent? of them being very vulgar."

• Suna East MP Junet Mohammed, however, praised the outreach as a public participation. "That is just part of public participation. I have also received 6 text messages from my constituents who are telling me not to support the Finance Bill. It is just part of the wider public participation... If your constituents are telling you not to support the Finance Bill, they have to communicate to you in all the manner they can. They can write a text, send a WhatsApp message, call you... I have a threatening message on my phone. You have to listen to all kinds of people."

• From the messages he received, Mandera East MP Hussein Weytan observed that Kenyans are now awake and standing for what they want. "There is a lot of outcry out there. We have been receiving SMSs today as members of Parliament. I don't know where Kenyans got our contacts from. Each member of Parliament today received a message from Kenyans threatening us even. You know, Kenyans are awake now. They are threatening and asking us to reject the bill," he stated.

Committee Chair Speaks; Finance Committee Chairperson Kuria Kimani, who was not spared, assured that he will incorporate the public views whose presentation closed on Tuesday this week. The resultant report will supersede 1,000 pages.

"Thank you great Kenyans for your views. We have retreated to do our report. See you on Tuesday. I have tried to respond to your calls and SMS as much as I could but unfortunately, I have a duty according to the law to compile a report - considering your views - by next Tuesday. It will be a 1,000-plus-page report. Back to work. Ciao!" he said.

National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah, however, asked Kenyans to hold their horses since the budget reading was different from the Finance Bill debate.

"Members of the public need to know that there will be no voting today, what the Treasury CS Njuguna Ndung'u is coming to spell out today is the revenue measures statement, I know the members have been harassed by the public on matters voting," he stated in Parliament moments to budget reading.

For the last one month, the Kenya Association of Manufacturers cautioned that investors will flee and basic commodities shoot up (vegetable oil by 80%) should the Finance Bill pass as is.

Police Officer Killed for Shooting Magistrate

A police officer's life was cut short at the Makadara Law Courts after he shot and injured a magistrate while adjudicating a case.

Zoom In: Principal Magistrate Monica Kivuti was shot by Londiani Police Station OCS Samson Kipchirchir Kipruto, in Court Room 9, who detested the magistrate's decision to deny his wife's bail application.

Kipruto fired the shot at 1:45 pm and was reportedly immediately shot and killed by other police officers.

The Suit: The deceased's wife was in court after she was accused of obtaining Ksh2.9 million through false pretenses

Judge Injuries: Kipruto reportedly entered the court through the magistrate's door and shot her in the chest and the left hip.

Three officers who countered the rogue police officer also sustained injuries.

Judiciary Clarification: Chief Registrar Winfridah Mokaya wished the injured magistrate a quick recovery while promising to enhance security protocols for Judiciary staff and civilians using the premises. Here is her full statement;

***

We are saddened to report an unfortunate shooting incident involving a police officer and a Magistrate at the Makadara Law Courts on 13th June 2024.

During an open court session earlier today, the Magistrate cancelled the bond for an accused person who had jumped the bond and had failed to offer satisfactory explanations for jumping bond. Immediately this decision was pronounced, a person shot at the Magistrate and injured her in the hip.

Police Officers on the scene responded and neutralized the shooter, and the Magistrate was rushed to hospital for treatment.

Preliminary reports indicate that the shooter is a Police Officer who is married to the suspect whose bond was cancelled.

As the Judiciary family, we wish our colleague a quick recovery. We also send our condolences to the family of the officer who lost his life in this unfortunate incident.

We urge for calm from all court users as our law enforcement agencies further investigate this incident.

We would also like to assure all Judicial Officers, Staff and Court Users of their safety and security in all our premises. We will enhance our security protocols for civilians visiting our courts as well as security officers who visit courts in circumstances that do not require them to be armed.

***

Here are five other stories to ponder on today;

1. Kenyans seeking to migrate to Canada as skilled immigrants under the express entry option will be required to show proof they have at least Ksh1.3 million.?
2. The Cabinet on Thursday approved the establishment of the Kenya House Experience 2024, an initiative designed to market Kenya at the upcoming 2024 Olympics.
3. Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) top supporter Nuru Okanga has been detained over comments he shared on Tiktok.
4. CS Moses Kuria announces that all public servants must undertake a course in customer service.?
5. Numbers of US Citizen visiting Kenya spike over increased flights between the two countries.

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This newsletter was written by Derrick Kubasu and edited by Brian Muuo.

Washington Mito contributed to the content.

Graphics prepared by Adongo Kyalo.